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Date: Thu, 31 Aug 1995 09:11:57 +0200
Reply-To: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: Catechism, 32
To: Multiple recipients of list CHR-EXP
Q. After what manner must you examine yourself before you come to the
Lord's supper?
A.
1. I must examine whether I abhor myself for my sins and humble myself
before God on account of them.
2. Whether I believe and trust that all my sins are forgiven me for
Christ's sake.
3. Whether I also have a sincere resolution hence forward, to walk in
all good works.
Nobody is allowed to go heedlessly to the Lord's supper. That is what
Paul wrote us. He wrote: Before one eats of the bread and drinks from
the cup, let him examine himself. For, is he is unworthy, and he eats
and drinks of the Lord's supper, then he eats and drinks damnation to
himself. To avoid such an aggravation of one's own damnation, let him
then examine himself. That is what Paul wrote in the next text: "But let
a man examine himself, and so let him eat of [that] bread, and drink of
[that] cup. For he that eateth and drinketh unworthily, eateth and
drinketh damnation to himself, not discerning the Lord's body." (1
Corinthians 11:28,29)
We see then that one should examine himself, before going to the
Lord's supper. That examining himself means that he investigates whether
he is a believer or not. For, there are many who think that they
believe, but in reality they don't. Let then everybody examine himself,
if he is not deceiving himself, pretending to be a believer, and not
being one. To help us examining ourselves, our answer gives us three
guidelines.
1. Examine if you feel your sinful state;
2. Examine if you trust your sins are forgiven;
3. Examine if you wish to walk in good works.
These three guidelines will be enlarged upon.
The first one is: I must examine whether I abhor myself for my sins and
humble myself before God on account of them. So, I must examine whether
I abhor myself. Abhor myself? Why? Because I am such a wretched sinner,
daily increasing my guilt before God. Abhorring yourself is not simply
saying, that you are a sinner, but abhorring is much more. It is having
a real aversion to yourself. Since I am such a great sinner, and never
cease provoking God to wrath, and always continue in heaping sins on
sins; since I am such a wretch, I abhor myself before God, and humble me
for Him on account of them. It is not a mere saying: "I am a sinner",
and then continuing with the next step. Such a man, who thinks himself
an abomination before God, is much alarmed about his state. Such a
sinner! Will God forgive such a one? When we see and feel our real
behaviour before God, we rather hide ourselves, away from the sight of
God, then that we cheerfully say, that we are sinners. Look to Adam,
who, when he had committed the first sin, hid himself in the trees of
the garden, from the presence of the LORD (Gen.3:8). Let then everyone,
who really abhors himself because of his sins, tremble, expecting God's
coming judgement. But when we stand still here, there is something
wrong.
The next guideline follows. I must examine whether I believe and trust
that all my sins are forgiven me for Christ's sake. When I believe that
my sins are forgiven me, than also this is not a mere saying. But it is
a conviction, which is given me by God, that my sins are forgiven me for
Christ's sake. Many say: "Believe in Jesus and all is well". This is
often said very superficially. But the true faith has deep roots. It is
given by God, after there has been a deep conviction of own sinful
state. When I believe that my sins are forgiven me, then I trust, and
feel in my heart, that these things are so. Seeing in ourselves nothing
but inability, and all wretchedness, we have put our eyes on God, Who is
merciful for Christ's sake. We find nothing in ourselves to put our
trust in. Therefore, having turned our back on ourselves, we turned to
God. We turned to God, since He drew us to Him. He gave us the faith,
that, when in action, connects us with God through Christ. We should
then examine ourselves, before going to the Lord's supper, whether we
possess such a true and saving faith.
The third directive is, that I must examine whether I also have a
sincere resolution hence forward, to walk in all good works. Such a
sincere resolution, to walk in all good works, is an expression of
thankfulness towards God. We wish to please Him, by doing what He asks.
He has given us His law, to be our rule, according which we must live.
When we then wish to live according to that rule, we do so, since it is
God's will. Such a sincere resolution flows from the knowledge, that I
am saved through faith. Knowing that the faith is such an infinite
appreciated good, we wish to thank God by doing His will. Together with
the faith, God also gives us that will. When the faith is strong, and
actively working, we feel driven to do good works. So, when we examine
ourselves, to see if we have such a sincere resolution hence forward, to
walk in all good works, it is, together with the other signs, indicating
that we are saved through faith. Not that good works have any meriting
value in themselves, but they are a sign of the true believer. Doing
good works, to earn heaven thereby, is a vain work. Good works merit
nothing, but they are a sign of faith.
When we have examined ourselves, and found nothing, or not all these
things, we must keep off from the Lord's supper. Let us then pray to
God, that He will give faith, and its accompanying signs. But when we
have examined ourselves, and we have found true faith, we may go to the
Lord's supper, to see the signs and seals of Christ crucified, and to
receive them. By this, our faith will be strengthened, through the
working of the Holy Ghost.
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Teus Benschop -- t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
Listowner of chr-exp@nic.surfnet.nl
"A Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel"
Institute Practical Bible-education
Web: http://www.iclnet.org/pub/resources/text/ipb-e/ipbe-home.html
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file: /pub/resources/text/ipb-e/cate: cat-032.txt
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